COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF EFFECTIVENESS OF ULTRASOUND-LASER AND TENS-LASER THERAPY IN KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS MANAGEMENT
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Keywords
Osteoarthritis, Knee Osteoarthritis, Ultrasound Therapy, Low-Level Laser Therapy, Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation, WOMAC Index, Range of Motion, Pain Management, Physiotherapy Modalities, Non-Pharmacological Treatment
Abstract
Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease that predominantly affects the geriatric population, leading to pain, functional limitations, and decreased range of motion. Physiotherapy modalities such as Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) and Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) have been used for managing OA, but comparative studies of these modalities in combination with ultrasound are limited.
Objective: To determine the efficacy of Ultrasound-LASER (US+LASER) and TENS-LASER (TENS+LASER) therapies in managing knee osteoarthritis, focusing on improvements in the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) score, flexion range of motion (ROM), and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores.
Methods: This quasi-experimental study included 40 patients with knee osteoarthritis, randomly assigned to two groups: Group A (US+LASER) and Group B (TENS+LASER). Group A received 5 minutes of ultrasound followed by 8 minutes of LASER therapy, while Group B received 20 minutes of TENS followed by 8 minutes of LASER therapy. Both groups performed specific knee osteoarthritis exercises during the treatment period. Data on WOMAC scores, flexion ROM, and VAS scores were collected at baseline and after four weeks of treatment. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS version 25.
Results: Group A showed a significant reduction in WOMAC scores from 71.05 ± 12.02 to 29.15 ± 8.37, while Group B's scores decreased from 67.05 ± 12.66 to 47.25 ± 12.25 (p<0.001). Flexion ROM improved from 83.50 ± 17.33 degrees to 119.50 ± 2.24 degrees in Group A and from 82.00 ± 12.40 degrees to 102.75 ± 10.06 degrees in Group B (p<0.001). VAS scores decreased from 8.45 ± 1.43 to 1.95 ± 1.39 in Group A and from 8.40 ± 1.43 to 4.30 ± 1.08 in Group B (p<0.001).
Conclusion: Ultrasound-LASER therapy is more effective than TENS-LASER therapy in reducing pain and improving knee function in patients with osteoarthritis. The study supports the use of Ultrasound-LASER therapy as a preferred treatment option for knee osteoarthritis due to its superior efficacy and time efficiency.
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Hiba Sultan
Physiotherapist, Shalamar Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan.
Farah Shaheen
HOD Physiotherapy, Shalamar Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan.
Alisha Ehsan
Physiotherapist, Shalamar Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan.
Sana Ashraf
Physiotherapist, Shalamar Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan
Khalid Abbas
Physiotherapist, Shalamar Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan.
Anam Bint Irfan Akbar
Senior Clinical Physiotherapist, Shalamar Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan.